My Little Pocketbooks: January 2015   
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Saturday, January 31, 2015

Diversity on the Shelf 2015: February Review Link-Up

http://littlepocketbooks.blogspot.com/2014/12/diversity-on-shelf-2015.html
Welcome to the February month of Diversity on the Shelf 2015 Reading Challenge.  
Every month I will post a linky for you to add your reviews.  Please have a direct link to the book you are reviewing to the linky.  No links to blog home pages please.  If you don't have a blog, please link to your Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, LibraryThing or other account where you are reviewing the books for this challenge.
Books that qualify for this challenge are by people of color or with a main character of color.  All shades and races of color are welcomed and encouraged here.  If you still need more clarification on what a person of color is Click Here.
If you haven't signed up for the challenge yet, don't fret you still have time.  Just sign up here! 
If you need a few suggestions on what to read for this challenge check out the list of links to blogs, book list and more. (Links here)
January Stats
(as of 1/31)
49 participates
55 books read and reviewed
First Book Reviewed by Based on a True Story
http://www.spiritblog.net/?p=7568 

Review: Vicious

 
Vicious
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Sci-Fi
Publisher:  Audible Studios
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Audiobook: 9 hours and 55 minutes
Narrator: Noah Michael Levine
Source: Purchased from Audible.com

http://amzn.to/1yGB44Q

Friday, January 30, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: Author Comments

Happy Friday Everyone!  TGIF!
 
What is Book Blogger Hop all about?
Each week the host at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted writer will prompt a new topic submit by a blogger and everyone can join in with their answers. You should join us! It's quite fun!  No really it is!

This Weeks Topic/Question

January 30th - February 5th - Do you ever get comments from authors when you have posted or tweeted your review? (submitted by Elizabeth)

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Diversity on the Shelf Reading Challenge: Race Based

*jumping on my soapbox*
*clearing my throat*
I have been quite busy this month getting my other blog Mocha Girls Read back up and running.  Yes!  There were bugs and problems all over the place.  While I was gone from My Little Pocketbooks I made an effort to visit each and every blog that signed up for the 2015 Diversity on the Shelf Reading Challenge.  Lately I have noticed a new thing happening with the sign up post.  A lot of you (participants) are posting the books you are planning on reading with a note how it fits the challenge.  An example would be Native Son by Richard Wright (POC)  That is great but what is the (LGBT) about?
I am writing this post to explain the difference of this reading challenge to other diversity based reading challenges and to let you know why I did it this way.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Best Audiobooks of 2014 Blog Hop

Welcome to the second Best Audiobook Blog Hop hosted by Hot Listens, The Book Nympho, and The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog.
It’s time were we all share our favorite audiobook from 2014.
and you can win some great prizes too!

The Grand Prize is 3 audiobook downloads (winner’s choice) from the host of this wonderful giveaway hop.  Enter the Rafflecopter below to win.  

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Sunday Delight: Word of the Year

Happy Start of a new week everyone!
Have you been productive?  Reading alot?  Relaxing?  Sticking to your resolutions and goals so far?
This has been a week of getting on my new goals.  I have been working out and hitting the gym #LikeaBoss.  
As part of my work out and goal I thought it would help me out to have a word for the year.  Way back in 2012 I had a word and it was FEARLESS!  I used that word, wore that word and it helped me run my first 5k.  So this year I think the new word will be ....ready for it...
Focus!
Yep.  2015 is the year of Focus. 
So far I have used this word during my workouts.  I sometimes (alot of the time) focus on the time and not the activity when I am at the gym.  You know what I am talking about.  5 more to go.  10 minutes more.  I have worked out for 1 hour.  The time is the focus and not the activity.  I am (not for long) a time focused workouter.  Now I am trying to focus on the activity, the reps and the muscles I am working out.
So 2015 is the year of FOCUS!
Here are my weekly stats and going ons.

Here and Now

Time: 12:57 pm  
Drinking: Water
Eating: Apple slices
 Listening To: Nothing
Watching: Green Bay vs. Sea hawks Game

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Sunday Delight: Fitness Goals

Sunday!  Sunday! Sunday!
Hi everyone.  How was your week?  Did you do anything fun, exciting or productive?  Are you still staying on track with your resolutions and reading challenges?
This week will start my first of 12 week workout program.  I am going to focus on eating 1900 calories a day and working out 5 days a week.  After the 12 weeks I will re-plan, re-work and start a new work out plan based on new goals.  
Are you working on a fitness goal too?
So let's talk books

Here and Now

Time: 9:04 pm (Saturday Night)
Drinking: Green Tea with Lemon and Honey
Eating: Pizza from Pieology
 Listening To: Nothing
Watching: The War on HBO 

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Book Blogger Organization Challenge: January

http://www.bookaddictsguide.com/2014/12/08/book-blogger-organization-challenge-winterspring-2015/

I decided to jump on this challenge so I can step up my blogging and get a bit more organized.  For me, I need to have things written down so I can cross them off my list. So for the month of January the challenge items I have listed here along with my notes and progress on each item in blue. 

If you want to join me and 81 other book blogger in this 6 month cleaning and organization challenge, just simply click the button up top and add your blog to the linky.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

January 2015 Reading Queue

 Reading Queue is a meme hosted by Book Tasty and Books: A True Story.
Welcome to the first Reading Queue of 2015.  This year I am going to be a bit more focused on my reading.  Even thought it took my two weeks to pick my first book of 2015.  But this year is the year of completing series and reading from my bookshelf.  Nothing else.  No really!!  Oh and book club books.  Now nothing else.  I accidently added a book to the incomplete series list when I accepted a book for review.  So now that list is getting a bit out of hand again. 
What is the reading queue all about?
Reading Queue is a monthly meme where you share what books you plan to read for the month. You can hop to other blogs and see what others are reading and maybe find someone reading the same thing as you! Or you can ask for people to vote on what you should read next if you can’t decide.

So here is what I have lined up for the month of January. (Click the covers to go to the books Amazon page.)
Book Club Book of the Month
http://amzn.to/1ImDVPo

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

It's my Blog Birthday!

Today (actually yesterday) is my blog's 4th year on the world wide webs.  I am shocked thrilled that 4 years ago I started blogging and lo and behold I am still here.  There have been times when blogging was not fun and a bit stressful.  I worried about if I was reading enough books, then I would stress about page views.  OH MY!  Then I had reader burn out that lasted for several months (more than once).  AGH!  It was a bit much.  Now I am have weathered the self inflicted storms and I love blogging more and more.  I'm still here and looking forward to blogging in 2015.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Sunday Delight: Another Challenge or Two

Happy 1st Sunday of 2015!
I have signed up for two more challenges and yes I know that was not my first intention.  I signed up for 13 reading challenges last year and failed at 3 of them.  This year the goal was to sign up for about have of that, around 7.  Well there are two more I want to add to the list, making it 9.
First I am signing up for:
http://momssmallvictories.com

Purpose:  Travel the world in books, of course! Expand your horizons and read books set in or written by authors from countries other than the one you live in. Visit as many different countries in books as you wish.
My Goal: For the year of 2015 I will 5 books set in another country outside of the U.S. and 5 books by non-American authors

The second one is not a reading challenge but a helping/motivating group that I saw on Tanya's blog.
http://www.bookaddictsguide.com/2014/12/08/book-blogger-organization-challenge-winterspring-2015/
Purpose:  To get my blog organized by June 2015.

My Goal: To complete each months theme and challenge.

So there they are the (hopefully) last two challenges I am planning on tackling for 201.  I hope!  God it's hard saying No! LOL!

Here and Now

Time: 12:01 pm
Drinking: Green Tea with Lemon and Honey
Eating: Apple Slices
 Listening To: Gospel Radio on Pandora.com
Watching: Nothing much

Saturday, January 3, 2015

December Winners!

It's time for winners!
I held a few giveaways for the month of December and today is the day to announce the winners.  First, let me say thank you so much to every single person who stopped by, entered and commented.  I loved reading your comments about your favorite 2014 reads and the books you want to read.
Now on to the winners
Congratulations goes out to 

Friday, January 2, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: Resolutions

Happy First Friday of 2015 Everyone!
 
How was your New Years everyone?  Did you do something fun and exciting?  Or did you stay home and watch the Ball Drop like me?  :)
 
What is Book Blogger Hop all about?
Each week the host at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted writer will prompt a new topic submit by a blogger and everyone can join in with their answers. You should join us! It's quite fun!  No really it is!

This Weeks Topic/Question

January 2nd - 7th -  What is your Blogger's New Year's Resolution?

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Snowed In? So Read Giveaway Hop

~ Hosted by Stuck In Books ~

In Los Angeles it doesn't snow and it will NEVER (hopefully) snow enough to snow anyone in.  But if it did then I would love to have a good book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other hand.  And wrapped in a fuzzy blanket too!

The theme of this hop is...
What book would you like to be snowed in with?
The prize for this giveaway is an E-book of your selection.  That's right.  I want you to answer the question and get what you want.  So fill out the rafflecopter to win 
any E-book you want up to $10.00 in value.

Diversity on the Shelf 2015: January Review Link-Up & Giveaway

http://littlepocketbooks.blogspot.com/2014/12/diversity-on-shelf-2015.html
Welcome to the first month of Diversity on the Shelf 2015 Reading Challenge.  
Every month I will post a linky for you to add your reviews.  Please have a direct link to the book you are reviewing to the linky.  No links to blog home pages please.  If you don't have a blog, please link to your Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, LibraryThing or other account where you are reviewing the books for this challenge.
Books that qualify for this challenge are by people of color or with a main character of color.  All shades and races of color are welcomed and encouraged here.  If you still need more clarification on what a person of color is Click Here.
If you haven't signed up for the challenge yet, don't fret you still have time.  Just sign up here! 
If you need a few suggestions on what to read for this challenge check out the list of links to blogs, book list and more. (Links here)

~ January Giveaway ~

Happy New Year